*The Importance of Setting Realistic Expectations!* In October 2021, a 66-year-old retiree sought advice from his auditor after selling a property, aiming to minimize capital gain taxes. Following the auditor's recommendation, he met with us for the first time to devise an investment plan. We allocated Rs. 27.5 lakhs to 54EC capital gain bonds to save on taxes and invested the remaining Rs. 2.5 lakhs in mutual funds. Despite past disappointments with insurance investments, he was willing to explore mutual funds for a five-year term. His primary objective was to *earn returns exceeding those of fixed deposits* while ensuring capital preservation. To achieve this, we opted for hybrid schemes. The retiree scheduled annual reviews to monitor his portfolio's performance. During our recent meeting, *the retiree was thrilled to discover that his mutual fund portfolio had yielded an impressive annualized return of approximately 12.1%, despite market volatility and the recent market correction. This success has prompted him to reconsider his investment strategy for 2026, when his 54EC capital gain bond matures*. Due to health concerns and his daughter's relocation after her wedding, he now *prefers the convenience and flexibility of mutual funds over real estate investments*. This experience reinforces the *importance of setting realistic expectations* to achieve favorable outcomes. #mutualfunds #retirementplanning #investorsuccessstory #longterminvesting #marketvolatility